“Possibly, but time is pressing and I’m growing quite concerned about Lord Arnprior. As are you, or you wouldn’t be lingering in the hall like Macbeth’s witches.”
“There’s no need to be insulting, lassie,” Angus said indignantly.
She scoffed. “I can think of much worse insults to level at your family right now, sir. But the question remains—what is the earl doing in there?”
“Drinking himself into a stupor,” Royal said.
“If that’s all it is, then he’ll recover,” Victoria said. “Butisthat all he’s going to do?” She was beginning to get averybad feeling about the earl’s state of mind.
“Are you afraid he might hurt himself?” Royal asked. “I wouldn’t have said it was possible, but I haven’t seen Nick this low—or this drunk—in years.”
“It’s more likely he’ll go after Logan and shoot him,” Angus said in a tone that suggested she should be consoled by that notion.
“No one is shooting anyone.” Victoria rapped loudly on the library door. “Lord Arnprior, it’s Miss Knight. I’d like to speak with you.”
A deafening silence met her effort. She placed her ear against the door, but either the oak was too thick or the earl had fallen into a stupor—or worse.
She banged louder. “Sir, it’s Miss Knight. Open up, please.”
Angus winced. “Och, lass, if he dinna hear that yelling, he’s already gone to the other side.”
“And if he isn’t dead, I’m quite sure he knows it’s you,” Royal said with a glimmer of humor.
“I fail to see the humor in the situation,” she snapped.
“Then you’re not looking hard enough,” Royal said.
Victoria forced herself to ignore his jibe. “Is there another key to this room?”
“Taffy had one, but Nick made her hand it over,” Royal said.
“The laird was insistent,” Taffy said unhappily. “I’ve been going through the old keys to see if I can find an extra, but no luck yet.”
Victoria sighed. “Can you keep looking?”
With a brisk nod, the housekeeper retreated to the main part of the house.
“We need to get into that room now,” Victoria said, fighting a growing sense of panic.
Angus shook his head. “The laird gave strict orders to be left alone.”
“Not to me. Is there another way we can get in?”
Royal snapped his fingers. “Good God, yes. The library windows overlooking the loch. If one is open, I can climb in and—”
“No, I will climb in and speak to the earl,” Victoria interrupted. “He clearly has no desire to talk to any of you. I cannot say I blame him, since youareall acting like fatheads.”
She ignored spluttering protests from Angus and set off toward the rear entrance to the wing.
Royal caught up with her. “Miss Knight, if he is awake, my brother is bound to be in a very foul mood. God only knows what he could do.”
“What he will not do is hurt me,” she said, with more confidence than she felt. She was unnerved by the notion of venturing into Arnprior’s lair, but she couldn’t bear the idea of him suffering alone and without comfort.
“She’s right,” said Angus, who stomped along behind them. “Best let the lassie try her hand first.”
Victoria glanced over her shoulder. “You actually agree with me?”
The old man gave her a bland smile. “No harm in tryin’.”
